JOIN US'I am grateful that I didn't have anything easy'
Sandalwood’s youngest director, Lohith H, says he always wanted to make a career in the film industry.
He has been working on the script of his debut directorial, ‘Mummy’, for over two years now. Lohith says, “The idea is not only to fulfil my dream of becoming a director but also to entertain people. My idea of making a film is to give people an insight into reality and make them aware of the supernatural elements that exist around us.”
‘Mummy’, he says, was written after he was witness to a real incident that happened in the city a few years ago. “The story is about a mother and daughter who begin to experience unusual things after they move into their new home in Goa,” he says. “The emotions such as fear, apprehension and doubt have been captured using VFX sound and some of the horror scenes have additional effects,” Lohith adds.
The characters have all been presented without any elaborate makeup. “This is the first time that Priyanka Upendra appears without any makeup. We wanted to give a touch of reality to the whole thing. Even the sounds feel real, as if everything is happening in front of you,” he adds.
Asked about the challenges he faced, Lohith says, “This is not a story that has song, dance and comedy. The story is knit around horror and the challenge was to keep the audience engrossed at every scene. That was quite tough but looking back, I feel the hard work has paid off,” he says.
About the experience of working on his debut project, Lohith responds, “Seldom do we see directors or the technical team being appreciated for their work. It’s always the hero or the lead characters who get noticed. But with this film, that perception is sure to change.”
Lohith says that he had had no prior training in filmmaking. “I worked as an assistant director in a couple of films before I started work on my film. Whatever I have learnt is what I picked up on the job. It has been a struggle but I am grateful that I didn’t have anything easy. It has been an enriching journey,” he says.
The film has opened to good reviews and Lohith is keeping his fingers crossed.